THIS INVENTION relates to a work vehicle, particularly a four wheel drive work vehicle for use on rugged off-road terrain.
Work vehicles, for example, agricultural vehicles such as loaders, tractors, or the like each typically have a base comprising a chassis connectable to wheels which may be driven, for example, by way of a power plant or drive means comprising an internal combustion engine, or the like. The driven wheels thereof causes agricultural vehicles to traverse over surfaces, for example, rugged off-road terrain associated with plantations, farms, field, or the like in a conventional fashion for use in a conventional manner.
Vehicles comprising conventional vehicle drive arrangements find difficulty in negotiating inclined surfaces, for example, rocky surfaces or obstacles. In this regard, it will be appreciated that at least one wheel of the drive arrangement may be configured to be steerable by way of a steering arrangement associated therewith, for example, to steer the vehicles around the obstacles. However, a problem exists in that, for example, conventional steering arrangements are not suited for traversing some types of terrain.
Some vehicle drive arrangements comprise all-wheel drive arrangements or limited slip differentials in order to navigate and/or traverse certain types of terrain address this problem but they are not suitable for all situations.
In this regard, it will be appreciated that some drive arrangements comprise chassis with centrally located wheels provided with the chassis to overcome obstacles, etc. However, these wheels compact over, for example, re-growing tree stumps, cane field lines, etc.
In addition, many work vehicles having work apparatuses for load carrying or displacing loads such as loaders have the work apparatuses disposed on a load bed thereof with operation of the apparatuses occurring transverse the longitudinal axis of the vehicles, at one side thereof. In this regard, if a work vehicle happens to reach a particular worksite, it will require an outrigger or stabiliser (for the opposite side) should the apparatus be required to lift or displace heavy loads as there is a risk that the centre of gravity of the work vehicle may shift during loading/lifting which may undesirably cause the work vehicle to topple over, in use.
Though prior art vehicles address some of the problems, for example, vehicles which have opposing pivotable axles such as the vehicle described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,215. However, the prior art vehicles do not address all the problems addressed by the invention disclosed herein.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a work vehicle to address the abovementioned problems and/or to provide a different work vehicle.